


Distraction

by suddenly_im_Mr_sex



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Addiction, Angst, Anxiety, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Gentle Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Panic Attacks, Romance, Smut, Sweet Rafael, Triggers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-01 23:05:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5224400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suddenly_im_Mr_sex/pseuds/suddenly_im_Mr_sex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years after being kidnapped and rescued by SVU, Daniela Scott joins the squad (instead of Dodds) and can't help falling for her co-worker.<br/>Rated Explicit for later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that this work could be triggering, read the tags and go easy. I suffer from panic disorder myself so I don't want anyone to be negatively affected.

3rd July, 2010  
Everything was so blurry, in every sense, the lights were too bright, the voices were too dull,  
“Daniela, I’m Detective Benson, you’re in the hospital.” I scrunched my eyes closed and opened them again, taking in more details of the room, I felt the chill spread from my chest throughout my body like ice in my veins, that disgustingly clinical white was everywhere, my nostrils burned like I could still smell the bleach. The warm bed disappeared, as did the hospital gown and the reassuring smile of the detective, only to be replaced with cold tiles, colder water and the coldest stare of my captor, but then as quickly as it appeared, it faded to black.   
The next time I awoke I was alone, the clock on the wall read 1pm, I could hear my heartbeat thudding in my ears,   
“It’s okay, you’re in the hospital, you’re safe, see he’s gone, you’re fine.” I repeated my mantra to myself but my breathing wouldn’t slow, I knew the feeling painfully well, pressing the button to alert the nurses station that I was awake.  
A young woman hurried into the room,  
“You’re awake! What can I…”  
“Umm Xanax… I’m… I get panic attacks.” The nurse nodded reading my chart,  
“You’re maxed out on your sedatives at the moment honey, honestly I’m shocked you’re awake… is there anything else I can get you?” I barely even heard her, I knew it was irrational that my heart beat faster when I knew I couldn’t self-medicate and get back to my life, no matter how unhealthy I knew that to be.  
“I wanna go home.” I mumbled and the nurse smiled, the reassurance on her face was not nearly as convincing as the detective lady, apparently I had said ‘detective lady’ out loud,  
“Of course honey, I’ll grab her for you.” I found myself far too tired to protest and soon the detective re-entered the room without the company of her partner or the nurse.  
“I’m sorry about before Daniela, did I scare you?” I was distracted by her seemingly familiar face,  
“N-nah, hospitals… I thought I was still… I thought you hadn’t…” my eyes prickled, tears brimming, I sniffed, holding them back, I was humiliated and I couldn’t honestly remember why.  
“It’s okay, you’re safe, we don’t have to talk about it now.” I nodded and found that I couldn’t stop, my whole body was wracked with loud ugly sobs. I just wanted to deal with it at home, on my own, drink, sleep, think about anything else. I stared past the detective, out the window at the outside hallway, at once completely distracted by the broken-looking man hunched over on the bench.  
Detective Benson turned around, following my gaze to the man sitting outside,  
“That’s ADA Barba, he found you.” The anxiety became white noise, unimportant compared to the man with those sad green eyes.  
“I don’t know if the nurse told you but I have panic disorder, that’s why I’m so… fucked up, I’m sure I’m fine, I’m just always… overdramatic.”  
The detective shook her head,   
“The doctor neglected to mention that.” She rolled her eyes,  
“Yeah, helpful…” The woman’s expression changed, it was completely unguarded now, she was worried, angry, tired, but there was something else… curious maybe?  
“I don’t want to do the whole ‘I know what you’re going through’ thing but I’m a PTSD sufferer myself, can you tell me what your triggers are so I can… steer clear.”  
“Sorry but you’re screwed, my triggers now include hospitals. Please, can you just tell me what happened?”  
The detective sat down in the chair beside my bed,  
“Do you know of a Richard Madsen?” I thought for a moment, drawing a blank,  
“No, I don’t think so.”  
“You were reported missing yesterday morning by a friend of yours, Lauren.” I nodded,  
“Yeah she was supposed to pick me up for class.”  
“Well she said you weren’t home and no one had heard from you since a party. We have reason to believe that Mr Madsen was involved in your… disappearance.” I was seeing snippets of the room, I needed to draw it, I knew I could draw it,  
“Do you have paper? I need a pen and paper.” The detective nodded and pulled a notepad and pencil out of her bag and placed it on the side of the bed. “Thanks.”  
I started with the walls, the tiles, the shower, it was all starting to look frighteningly real, I think the detective asked me something about college, I was concentrating, eventually finishing and placing the notepad beside me again. “That’s where he was keeping me.” The older woman grabbed the notepad, her eyes wide, the drawing was like a tiny graphite replica of where they had found Madsen, right down to the tile pattern.  
“Wow, this is incredible, are you an artist?” I shook my head,  
“No. You’ll need that for evidence, along with an ID of this Madsen guy… give me a minute.” I ripped off the page and handed it to the detective, starting on a new page, his sharp jawline, the dimple on his chin, those cold, dead eyes. I handed the now finished page to her, she looked at the page and then at me,  
“Who is this? I know it might sound like a stupid question but…”  
“You need me to say that he was the man who kidnapped me because if you ask that it will be inadmissible in court as a false ID, it’s considered leading the witness, I know, I study criminology. That is the man who kidnapped me.”  
Detective Benson nodded, her eyebrows raised,   
“Well I’m impressed. I wish my squad had more people like you.”  
Your squad, your squad, I knew she looked familiar,   
“You’re not just some detective are you? You’re that sex crimes detective that’s always in the papers, Olivia Benson… you’re the whole reason I went into criminology.”  
Maybe it would have looked goofy to anyone else but I was star struck, this woman was so much more important than any celebrity; she was my hero.   
Olivia smiled the first genuine smile I had seen since being rescued, only breaking when her phone rang, she stood, fishing it out of her coat pocket,  
“Benson.” “Okay, be there in ten, yes, yeah we have a positive ID, thanks Rollins.” She slid the phone back into her pocket, “Get some rest Daniela, I’ll come by tomorrow to see how you’re doing.” She walked towards the door,  
“You forgot your notepad.” I lifted it, offering it to her,  
“No I didn’t.” She smiled and left the room, now only visible in the window, talking to the ADA and a doctor. “Can I give you a ride?” She offered the sad man,  
“No… I’m fine, I’m gonna stay here a little longer.” Olivia nodded,  
“Rafael, don’t be stubborn, go home.”  
“I’m not being stubborn! She’s alone! I’m not leaving her alone, again.” She squeezed his shoulder, walking away, I took the pencil in my hand again, I knew exactly what to draw next.

15th November, 2015  
“I know you don’t want to replace him but this one requested your unit specifically.” Dodds dropped a file on Liv’s desk, she opened it hesitantly, “Daniela Scott. One year in narcotics and two in homicide, good kid and actually wants to work here.” Olivia grinned,   
“When can she start?”


	2. Saviour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani starts her first day at SVU and remembers the night Rafael Barba saved her life, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read the first chapter before this chapter was posted you might want to go back and re-read as I've changed the perspective to first person.  
> Thank you to the two commenters I have seen so far, it means so much to think that you guys are waiting on me to continue the story like I am with so many 'in progress' stories I've read!  
> Big love.

17th November, 2015  
My first day was terrifying, exciting and everything I expected SVU to be, made perfect by the proud smile that lit up Olivia’s face when I entered the squad room for the first time in over five years.   
“Oh Dani! You should’ve seen my face when Chief Dodds gave me your file! How have you been?” Olivia pulled me into a tight hug, her smile infectious, tugging at the corners of my mouth.  
“I’m good, really, I want to make it all worth it you know… save some people who felt like me.” Olivia nodded, still staring at me with that grin on her face.  
“That’s great to hear, let me introduce you to the team, I wish there was time to ease you in but we’re always this busy.” She walked me over to the cluster of desks, “Detective Scott, you remember Fin.” He was grinning, pulling me into a bear bug,  
“Look at you all grown up!”   
“You’ll be Fin’s partner, and this is Amanda Rollins and Sonny Carisi. Everyone this is Detective Daniela Scott, she worked a case with us a few years ago.” I silently thanked her for leaving out the fairly major detail.  
“Well it’s awesome to get a new pair of hands dirty.” Rollins smiled, shaking my hand. Just as I was starting to get comfortable,   
“Hey counsellor, come meet your new target!” Carisi teased as Barba swept into the room, mouth full of bagel,  
“You’ll always be the main target Fordham.” He mumbled, trying to finish his mouthful before he got to the desks.  
“Don’t come complaining to me when you get heartburn.” Liv quipped, “This is our new addition, I don’t suppose you remember…”  
“Daniela Scott, wow! You look great, how are you?” I could feel the blush creeping onto my cheeks, worsened by everyone staring at us, the room was silent, the air thick with tension.  
“I’m good, really good… seeing you is…”  
“Good?” Carisi chuckled, Barba shot daggers at him,  
“So what have you got for me?” He asked the squad, though his eyes didn’t move from mine, Liv broke the tension,  
“Okay… Reeves was arrested on drug charges last night, we’re thinking that Hannah is still alive but he’s playing dumb. We’re testing his car for DNA but the results might not be back for hours and we’ve got nothing tangible to hold him…”  
“Tell him we’ve got a match, I’ll offer a deal, he won’t go for it, go from there?” Liv nodded and started walking with Barba, my brain still trying to process their words,  
“Dani, you coming?” I nodded, jogging to catch up. “I realise that some of our approaches go against what you learned in college but…”  
“We do what we have to, I get it.” I really did, there was no time for proper channels when there was a ten year old girl missing.  
I watched through the one-way mirror, my blood boiling as I looked at the attacker’s face, although this man’s eyes were brown I could still see Madsen in him, they were just so lifeless, so without compassion, I jumped back when his eyes met with mine. I felt the rush of adrenaline before realising he was just fixing his hair in the mirror.   
Both doors opened almost simultaneously and I jumped again, Olivia entering the interrogation room, Barba moving to stand beside me.  
“Liv wants to take a run at him first, when that doesn’t work I’ll call her, she pretends it’s the DNA results, see how that pans out… I’m the last resort, I don’t want to give that scumbag a deal.” He shook his head, he was talking fast, caffeine practically shaking him. I looked him up and down,  
“Slow down on the coffee, remember what you said about addiction?” He chuckled,  
“So you’re clean and sober now then?” I could’ve slapped the smug smile off his face,  
“Yeah, I am, five years or have you forgotten?”  
“No, I’m sorry, this job just winds you up so tight…” I nodded and our eyes met for the first time without interruption.

16th August, 2010  
To say that we’d become close in the weeks following the attack would be overstating things, sure we’d spent a lot of time in each other’s company, but the talk was always about the case, ADA Barba was professional to a fault. That being said, we both knew it was unprofessional to have your lawyer over to your house, even if it was to prep for court.   
“Counsellor, come in.” He looked amazing, he always did, but tonight, in jeans and a polo shirt, my heart skipped a beat.  
“Daniela are you drunk?” he stood in the doorway, I rolled my eyes, grabbing his wrist and pulling him inside,  
“No I’m not, I just had some vodka to calm down.” The kitchen bench was a mess with files, my statement, a copy of the drawings I’d done for Olivia, not to mention the almost empty bottle of vodka.   
“How much of this did you drink?” he was holding the bottle up, his voice was so loud and my heart was beating so fast, I tried to shush him but he wouldn’t listen, only stopping when he read the receipt on the floor, with today’s date stamped across the top.   
I felt the pins and needles in my fingers, the fogginess of trying to think. I don’t think I knew I was crying, or coughing, barely making it to the sink, too broken to notice his strong arms holding me up as I hurled a packet of mac and cheese and three quarters of a bottle of vodka into the kitchen sink.  
I felt myself just on the edge of fainting, he wrapped his arm around me, half-carrying me to my couch. I watched as he hurried back into the kitchen, turning on the tap and bringing over a bowl in case I was sick again. I couldn’t stop crying, no matter how hard I tried, he turned off the tap and sat on the coffee table opposite me.   
“You can’t drink like that Daniela, not even when it hurts like this.” I looked up at him, the last thing I needed was a lecture, I just wanted to die, who was he to talk to me like that?  
“What do you know?” he rested his hand on my arm, it was warm, a sharp contrast to the chill of my skin,  
“I know that drinking almost cost me my life, cost my father his, I was so determined not to be like him, I locked away my personal life, no girlfriends, no friends, no one to have to worry about hurting.” I saw that sadness in his eyes again, the one he tried so hard to hide in front of Olivia,  
“What made you stop?”  
“Olivia Benson.” My eyes widened, “She found me outside some seedy old bar at 3am, I’d passed out, and thrown up all over my favourite shirt. It was after this case… an eight year old boy killed by his father, I drank until I forgot. She slapped me across the face and told me I was nothing like that boy’s father, or mine, she gave me a lift home and poured all my alcohol down the sink. So that’s what I know, I know that Olivia gave a shit about me throwing my life away when I didn’t and now I’m seeing you do the same.”  
There was silence, he was letting me see the sadness, I wanted so badly to make it better, “Tomorrow you’re gonna beat him twice, first he’s going to jail for life and then you’re gonna go to my doctor and get on with your life.” He took his mobile out of his pocket, handing it to me. I typed in my number and handed it back, I heard my phone beep when he sent me the number of his doctor.  
I fell asleep soon after and he went to the kitchen, opening all the cupboards, pulling out all the liquor bottles, pouring the contents down the sink and throwing the bottles in the trash.  
He searched the pile of papers for a pen and blank piece, ‘Daniela, be at the courthouse at 2pm. I hope I didn’t overstep. I don’t want you to feel how I felt. – Rafael’. He moved the note so I would see it, revealing a drawing I should have hidden after inviting him over, he smiled at the detailed picture of himself, recognising the hospital décor in the background, he folded the paper in two and put it in the folder he brought, turning the lights off when he walked out the door.


	3. Sky High, Rock Bottom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniela impresses on her second day and remembers how her last dealings with SVU ended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking this will probably be the last flashback but I often surprise myself. There will definitely be more of a focus on the present in future chapters though, I just thought we needed some context.   
> Thank you so much for the reviews I've read, every time I see that someone new has read this it just blows my mind. I've written what I think will be chapter 5 or 6 and am now filling in the gaps, you should see chapter 4 sometime in the next 24 hours! Keep reading, kudos-ing and reviewing xx

18th November, 2015  
“Copy, this is Scott, I have her, repeat, I have Hannah, we’re exiting the building via side entrance.” I held the young girl close to my body, running from the old building, I couldn’t help but wonder how these creeps find these places. Paramedics were waiting outside along with Liv and Carisi, Olivia was shouting instructions, but her eyes were filled with hope now, I shot her a tearful smile as I placed the girl in the ambulance.  
“I’ll ride with her!” Liv called out, not that I cared about the whole hospital thing right now, the girl was alive, tired, hungry, scared, but alive. “Her parents are going to meet us at the hospital, good work Dani.” Liv patted me on the shoulder and traded places with me in the ambulance.   
I must have been smiling when Carisi came over, the ambulance speeding off into the distance,  
“Wish I was that good on my second day.” He joked and I laughed, pushing him slightly,  
“You wish you were that good now.” He chuckled,   
“Ooh quick wit, you get that from Barba?” I shot him a knowing look, “Alright fine, but I’ll figure it out eventually.”  
“Yeah whatever, let’s get back.” 

19th August, 2010  
“Jury’s back.” Olivia deciphered from the look on Barba’s face as he walked into the courtroom. The ten minutes that followed were torturous, Liv held my hand as the room filled up again, squeezing it when the judge began to speak,  
“On the charge of rape in the first degree, how do you find?  
“On the charge of rape in the first degree we find the defendant, Richard Madsen guilty, on the charge of kidnapping in the first degree we find the defendant guilty.” I burst into tears, Liv threw an arm around me, rubbing my back,  
“Why am I crying? I’m happy.” I whispered,  
“Members of the jury, the state of New York thanks you for your service you are dismissed, Richard Madsen you will be remanded to Rikers where you will await sentencing.” At the bang of the gavel the courtroom erupted into talk of celebration and drinking, I looked over at Barba who had paused his packing up,   
“Sounds good, just… not at a bar.” Liv nodded, pulling me into a motherly hug, I saw Barba smiling out of the corner of my eye, he was right, I’d beat Madsen once, it was time to beat him again.   
That night was incredible… for the most part, fancy dinner with Liv, her partner, Fin and Barba. It was so nice to just talk about normal things, the weather, baseball, idiot celebrities, it was just easy. I didn’t even mind Liv’s wine, or Fin and Liv’s man’s beers, they didn’t ask why I wasn’t drinking, it was just fine that I wasn’t.   
Liv insisted on taking me dancing afterwards, Fin made his excuses but I couldn’t back out, I was so thankful for everything she’d done for me, but I was getting nervous. Liv and her partner were dancing, kissing, drinking, everything normal couples did, and there sat Barba and I, sitting too close to be acquaintances, but too awkward to be lovers.   
Olivia must have sensed my tension and sent the boys off for a game of pool,  
“Dani, you all good?” I smiled,   
“Yeah, man I need a drink.” We laughed and she bought one, Barba had clearly kept my secret to himself, the temptation was too much. I downed it and two more before the game was finished, “Alright that’s enough for me.” I laughed as Liv ordered herself another drink, she’d been drinking a lot slower than me, most people did.   
Although I was proud of myself for stopping at three, I felt terrible for drinking at all, I knew I’d betrayed Rafael’s trust and couldn’t drink more to feel better.  
“Take me home counsellor.” I thought I had whispered but apparently not,  
“I’ll drop you off.” He replied, clearly not wanting to embarrass me. He grabbed my coat and said our goodbyes, Olivia whispered something to him, “I can handle it.” He assured her, and by it, he meant me.   
The drive to my place was tense, “You’re drunk.” He accused, his eyes on the road, I couldn’t tell if he was angry or disappointed, I didn’t know which I’d rather he was.   
“I’m not, I only had a few, I’m fine honestly.”  
“Yeah you just had a few, and you’re not drunk, and you can stop whenever you want. I’ve said ‘em all.” We were silent until he pulled up outside my house, “Can I use your bathroom?” he asked and I happily invited him in, I wandered into my bedroom to get changed when I heard my cupboards opening, I walked out of the room to see him searching them for bottles that I knew weren’t there.   
“Rafael, there is no alcohol in this house, I messed up but I’m not…” his eyes were burning holes in me, I looked down realising I was still in my bra and panties. I should have been embarrassed but I really wasn’t, I walked towards him, kissing him, our tongues tangling for dominance, he groaned, picking me up and sitting me on the kitchen counter, standing between my legs.   
His lips trailed down my jaw and over my neck, my hands in his soft hair. Suddenly he pulled away and stepped backwards, his hair was messy and his pants were distorted by the obvious bulge, it would have been comical but for the look on his face.   
“We shouldn’t, good night Daniela.” His voice was still husky but I knew better than anyone that he was right, I felt the tears prickling in my eyes, he turned and practically ran for the door, closing it again after him.   
The humiliation, the deepest sadness, the anger, the hatred of myself all combined and hit me like a sledgehammer. I slept on the kitchen floor, my mascara dried on my cheeks, I had assumed that being attacked was rock bottom, but this was really it.


	4. Admissions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rafael and Daniela finally get to explain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, short chapter! It's more context really... before we get into my favourite bit ;)

21st November 2015  
Honestly I couldn’t believe he’d let it go for as long as he did when he blurted it out,  
“So what’s the deal with you and Barba? I’ve never seen him get all sentimental like that.”   
“Nice one Carisi, real subtle.” Rollins joked, “Ignore him, it’s none of our business.” I smiled and tried to construct an answer in my head, even if I wasn’t going to tell them, “But seriously what is it?”  
I looked in the window of Olivia’s office, staring at him as I tried to find the words,  
“He saved my life… more than once, I guess he’s just checking I was worth saving.” I laughed and their eyes widened comically,  
“Wow, we thought you must’ve had a… thing…”  
“No, hang on!” Amanda interjected, “Carisi thought you had a thing!”  
“Yeah, right… at least I wasn’t involved in the bet!” Rollins through the empty pizza box at the laughing detective,  
“What bet would that be?” Barba asked, leaning against the wall,  
“Don’t know what you’re talking about Counsellor.” Rollins smiled,  
“Mmm, speaking of bullshit, has Phelps admitted to anything yet?” Rollins opened her mouth but was interrupted by Olivia, who nearly sprinted into the room, phone to her ear,   
“TV!” Carisi dove for the remote, turning the TV on, just as he was about to ask,  
“In breaking news, Late Night host Aaron Phelps has been arrested from his family home after allegations of sexual assault were put forward by Ash Riley, his fellow host. We will be bringing you more on this story as it unfolds, Carisi angrily turned off the TV, rolling his eyes,  
“How the hell did they..?”  
“You get used to it, big brother’s always watching.” Rollins mumbled,  
“Alright Rollins, Carisi, get all over them, I want the source by tomorrow morning.” They both stood up, packing bags, “I’ve gotta get home to Noah, the new babysitter thinks she’s coming down with something.” She rolled her eyes, slinging her bags over her shoulder, “Daniela, go home, that was one hell of a first week.”  
And just like that we were alone, the squad room felt like a closet with just the two of us, the walls felt a lot closer when he looked at me like that.   
“I have to get back to the DA’s office,” he turned to leave,  
“Bar… Rafael! We need to talk, and if we don’t talk now we never will.” He stopped, turning to me, keeping eye contact as he walked over to Rollins desk, leaning against it,  
“Is this talk going to have to involve takeout?” I stared at him quizzically, quirking an eyebrow, “I thought involving alcohol would be… ill-advised.”  
“N-no, no distractions, that’s how I screwed up last time. Please let me explain?” he simply nodded, “I was so nervous at being out with you and Liv and her… date. I wanted to be confident, to just ask if I could take you for coffee one day, even just to say thank you for getting him put away. Liv offered me a drink and I took it, chased it with another two shots so I could be better with you, which was…”  
“Counterintuitive.” He deadpanned,  
“Stupid. I thought if I could get you into bed then things would be easier, it took me three years of AA and therapy to see how stupid that was.”   
“You really thought you were that good in the sack?” he chuckled, I shot him a look, “Sorry. I know that’s not what you…”  
“This is the bit where you tell me something painfully honest, we hug, forgive each other and start over.”   
“Oh, so this is the abridged version, thanks for that.” I just kept on staring, I knew what it was like to hide my feelings behind jokes, and I knew that now was not the time. “Fine. After Liv found out that I’d been to your apartment she told me to back off, she didn’t want either of us getting hurt. I was so scared that I was forcing you to feel anything for me, my head was just screaming at me when we were kissing, how unprofessional I was, how I was taking advantage, how you didn’t know what you really wanted.” Rafael was staring at the floor, “I know it hurt when I left, I heard you crying through the door, but I knew it was better than us waking up together knowing we’d made a huge mistake. I knew when you never contacted me that you regretted ever inviting me home with you and I moved on.” He looked up, exhaling like he’d just dropped an enormous weight.   
“I regretted drinking, I didn’t regret kissing you. I was too embarrassed to ever contact y- Amanda, what’s up?” Rollins jogged into the squad room and opened her drawer, pulling out her purse and freezing.  
“Oh shit sorry, didn’t know I was interrupting a… moment, I’m going…”  
“You’re not interrupting anything, I’ll walk you out.” Rafael interjected, he walked straight past me, his eyes avoiding mine.  
“O-kay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 will be up in an hour or so, I wrote it earlier so I'm just fixing some continuity issues. If you're a fan of fluffy smut it's your lucky day. Keep reviewing, they make me soooo happy!


	5. Forgiven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rafael comes over to apologise for his abrupt departure earlier in the evening, he makes it up to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the long-awaited smut, seriously, this is why this fic is rated explicit (I'm sure there will be other similar chapters to come) but if you're not a fan of fluffy smut then it's best not to read this chapter. Please keep reviewing, I'm embarrassed at how often I'm checking for new reviews, bookmarks, kudos.

‘Can I come over?’ I smiled when I read it, there was nothing in the world I wanted more right now than to see his face, ‘Sure’. I typed back, ‘Be there in ten’. I looked down at myself, I was wearing a Snow White pyjama top with my work pants, I still had my mismatched socks on from the alarm incident that morning.   
Padding into my bedroom, I toed my socks off, throwing them into the laundry basket, closely followed by my pants. I pulled on a navy pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt and wandered around, nervously cleaning up, waiting for the knock on my door.   
Even then, when it came I nearly jumped out of my skin, I tried my best to walk to the door without giggling like a schoolgirl, ‘you’re nearly thirty Dani, pull yourself together’ I thought and opened the door.   
He stood on my steps in that grey pinstripe suit I’d been admiring all day, his hair was ruffled from the wind, his jacket and waistcoat were nowhere to be seen and he’d loosened his toe and rolled up his sleeves, there was something incredibly hot about the slightly dishevelled ADA.   
“Hey.” He looked up at me, smiling, “I know it’s late but I feel terrible for leaving when I did, Rollins just scared me. There was silence again, but it was like our eyes were saying everything that needed to be said, I grabbed his tie pulling him inside and locking the door behind him.   
I pressed him against the wall, his breath hot against my lips, his voice husky, “Daniela, slow down.” I stepped back, embarrassed,   
“It’s been five years, if we go any slower we’ll be going backwards.” He smiled,   
“I know cariño, I just want this to be perfect.” God, the way the Spanish rolled off his tongue,  
“It already is.” I placed my hand on his chest, his heartbeat was fast but steady, he leaned in, his lips ghosted over my bottom lip, just the gentlest caress. His hand covered mine, bringing it up to his mouth, kissing my knuckles, a twinkle in his eyes I had only seen glimpses of. “Please Rafael, I need you.”  
Apparently that was all he needed to hear. He took my hand and leading me to the bedroom, laying me down on the bed, his lips soothing every worry I felt, I didn’t want to hide anything from him anymore,   
“Would you mind if the light was on?” I whispered, trying not to feel too self-conscious,  
“Of course not.” He kissed the tip of my nose and sat up, swiftly turning my bedside lamp on, the room was still dark but diffused with the warm yellow glow, “Whatever you want Daniela.” He whispered, his lips brushing mine again, his tongue darting out to worry my bottom lip, his lips capturing it and releasing, “You know you bite this lip when you’re nervous?” I giggled, and I do not giggle.  
When our lips met again it was like fireworks, I hate clichés as much as the next girl but there are no other words that come close to the intensity, the exchange of such fiery passion. His tongue caressed the seam of my lips, begging for the access that I would only give up for him, moaning into his mouth. I had never expected this difference, there was nothing rough about the clash of our teeth and tongues, nothing forced about the flush spreading down my body, pooling in places I hadn’t thought about in years. Breaking apart for air we just lay there, side by side, fire burning so bright in our eyes. His hand brushed up my arm, tracing patterns into my skin.  
I shakily brought my hands up to his shirt, silently thanking some higher power for his lack of a waistcoat tonight. He undid more buttons than I managed and soon he threw it on the floor, I tried to turn off the practical side of me that was concerned about the wrinkles and the ironing. His fingertips splayed on my hips, gliding up under my t-shirt, the ironing was long forgotten as the soft cotton rode up leaving goosebumps blossoming in its wake.   
Soon it was over my head and thrown rather accurately at the laundry basket. He was so gentle, so worried about breaking me, I took his hand, rubbing it against my bra, his thumbs massaging my nipples through the thankfully thin fabric. I unclasped it, throwing it to the floor before I could remember my scars, haphazardly covering them with my arm,  
“You don’t have to hide from me Daniela, you’re beautiful.” He rested his hands over my arms, slowly moving them to my sides, leaning down to place a kiss against the small heart Madsen had carved into me. His lips ghosted over my breast, my nipples hardening as I felt his breath against my heated skin. He licked lightly over the peak, taking it carefully in his mouth as he massaged my other breast in his impossibly warm hand. I watched his muscles flex as he held himself up with one arm, the other working to unbuckle his belt, I leaned up to kiss him, my hands pulling the drawstring of my sweatpants, sliding them down my legs and kicking them to the ground.  
“Lie down.” I whispered, he grinned mischievously before flipping us over, making quick work of his belt. I unzipped his pants, sitting up on my knees as I pulled them down, taking in the sight of him half-naked on my bed, completely unguarded, the bulge in his boxers making me blush.   
I crawled over to him, swinging my leg over his hips, experimentally brushing my body against his, skin on skin, he arched up, his hips meeting mine, his hands massaging my ass, rocking our hips together just enough to feel the exquisite pressure of his hard cock against my core.   
My hips jerked at the first brush against my already-sensitive clit, I grinded on him, nearly climaxing when he groaned so desperately in my ear. I picked up the pace, our bodies moving in time as I felt my orgasm wash over me. He flipped us over again, thrusting against me, prolonging my pleasure before moving down my body, placing a kiss on my belly and each of my thighs before looking up at me for permission, I whispered my approval and he smiled, pulling my panties down over my thighs and throwing them to the ever-growing pile of clothes on the floor, replacing the thin fabric with his mouth.   
My hips bucked as his tongue pressed against my clit, he pulled back licking his finger, rubbing it against my entrance before slowly sliding it inside, withdrawing he sucked it and another finger into his mouth before sliding both into me. His tongue continued its assault on my clit, his fingers curling upward now, I cried out when he thrust in again, directly hitting my sweet spot.   
I felt him chuckle against me, the vibrations making me shiver before continuing, every thrust hitting me just right, I grabbed a fistful of his now-messy hair as I climaxed again, bringing him up to kiss me again, groaning into my mouth. My eyes widened when I realised that he hadn’t cum yet, his cock still hard against my thigh.  
“Don’t you think it’s your turn?” I whispered and he chuckled darkly,  
“Believe it or not I enjoy making you cum just as much.” I wondered to myself how long I’d been imagining him talking like this to me, I looked at him seriously,   
“I want to make you feel as good as you made me feel.”  
“Trust me cariño, I want that too but I don’t want to rush you.” My heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in his voice, how even now he’s thinking about me first.   
“Can I watch?” I was blushing again and he grinned, I could barely look him in the eye, a groan coming from deep in his throat as he flopped down next to me, rubbing his hand over the outline of his cock which twitched in response.  
He pulled his briefs down, his cock springing up against his stomach, he put his hand out,   
“Spit.” There was no hint that he was joking, I licked a row of stripes across his palm and he took himself in hand, “I’ll be honest, this is not going to take long.” He chuckled as he rubbed his thumb along the slit, gathering precum and spreading it along his length.   
“I want to touch you.” I whispered and he groaned again, taking my hand and licking it, wrapping it around his impossibly hot cock, his hand covering mine. He moved my hand faster, his breathing short, chest heaving as he came, the noise he made so incredible I could live simply to hear it again.   
I lay my head against his shoulder as he grabbed tissues from my bedside table, cleaning us both up,   
“You okay?” I giggled,  
“So much better than okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it right that I'm so excited for fictional characters?


	6. How to Ruin a Quiet Saturday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team are called in on their day off to deal with a murder in The Bronx.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry I've been MIA for so long, Uni's been rough and writers block's been even rougher. Anyway, I hope you've stuck with this story and that you'll still be glad I've updated, I'll be updating more regularly from now on. Please review/kudos/favorite/follow/etc to let me know you're still interested in me continuing. 
> 
> If you don't know Spanish the unexplained Spanish translation of the interrogation is in the end notes at the bottom.

The next morning when I awoke, the bed felt slightly less comfortable without the warm press of his body next to mine. I knew he had to work, even on weekends but it still made me wonder if maybe last night hadn’t just been the best dream I’d ever had.   
I blushed as I thought over the night, how tender he’d been, so slow, so loving, so… My phone vibrated off the nightstand beside me, I quickly turned over, nearly falling off the bed to answer it,  
“I know it’ your day off Dani but we need all hands on deck with this one, Jerome Avenue in the Bronx, you know it?”  
“I’ve got GPS, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”  
“Thanks Dani.” Yeah, I knew Jerome Avenue, and so did Olivia. That was where Rafael grew up, I knew it had a reputation but a girl like me didn’t exactly hang out in the Bronx to know what to expect.   
“Alright, I’ve got ID, April Espinoza, 19, studies at Lehman College. No licence or bank card, just $20, her student card and a SmartLink card.” I stared at her picture and then her body, I couldn’t help but feel sick knowing that she was a Bronx kid getting a college education, trying to make something of herself, Liv would say I was in too deep, but pot kettle really.   
“Oh my god.” Everyone turned from what they were doing, “I swear she just moved.”   
“Halloween was last month Dani.” Rollins quipped and I shook my head, checking her pulse again, there was the lightest flutter in her neck,   
“She’s alive, call a bus.” I yelled, starting off the most freezing cold, stressful Saturday I had ever experienced.   
Back at the squad room I was making progress drawing up a timeline with her SmartLink card, while Rollins and Fin visited Lehman College’s less than forthcoming Dean.   
“Hey ‘Manda, what’ve you got?”  
“April was marked present in all of her classes until 12.30, her friends said she was going to visit her boyfriend, but he’s conveniently enigmatic.”  
“Alright, I’ll add it to the timeline, get Fin something to eat; he’ll be getting hangry by now.” “Liv, I have April tapping onto the bus at Lehman at 12.45pm but she doesn’t tap off, not with that card anyway.”  
“Find the driver.”  
“On it.”

November 23rd, 2015 9:45am  
“The bus driver?” he asked incredulously as he sauntered into the squad room. “What’s the motive? Where are the witnesses?”  
“No witnesses have come forward but his bus CCTV was randomly ‘not working’ in the hour gap between when April got on the bus and when she was found.”  
“How convenient. Check the footage of when it comes back online.” I pulled up the grainy footage of multiple people getting off the bus as well as the red-faced driver. “Is that blood on his shirt?”  
“Bring him in.”

10:22am  
Barba and I watched through the glass as Liv and Carisi smugly interrogated the tired-looking bus driver.   
“I didn’t touch no girl! My bus has a camera, that’ll prove it!”  
“Well we would if you hadn’t turned it off!”  
“Turn it off? Naw man, I don’t even know how to turn that thing off, I don’t even have a computer at home, look at my phone, I don’t touch the damn camera.” He tossed his brick-like phone on the table.  
I looked at Barba and rubbed my hands together,   
“Movie time!” I giddily grabbed the TV and wheeled it on its stand into the squad room, inserting the surveillance tape and pressing play at the moment it had been turned back on.   
“What’s that on your shirt?” Carisi smiled at the driver,  
“Th… that’s jam.” Carisi chuckled,  
“Wow really? That’s what you’re going with?”  
“Nah, that’s the truth! This guy asked me if I wanted this jam donut he had… said he’d bought two and then his friend hadn’t shown up… I was hungry, I skipped my break.”  
“What brand is your CCTV?” I piped up from the back of the room, Olivia turned around disapprovingly but I had to check.   
“Sony I think, like I said I don’t know about technology.”  
I rushed out of the room grinning, poking my head into the observation room,   
“Coming, warrant boy?” He had to jog to keep up with me as I went back to my desk, “I need a warrant for the camera backup from the last twenty four hours.”  
“Liv said you already looked through it and that the camera was off after April got on the bus.”   
“I did, but his CCTV is like the one at my house, you can stop it broadcasting onto the tapes via Bluetooth, but you can’t turn it off. That phone doesn’t exactly look like it has Bluetooth does it?” he smirked,  
“So… the footage was still recorded?”  
“Oh yes.” 

1.04pm  
With a warrant on its way I hacked into the camera’s backup data, scrolling through hours of nothingness until I found when I was looking for.   
April was smiling, jumping onto the bus followed by a dark haired boy, who grinned as he put his phone away. They took a seat at the front and the boy opened a paper bag, pulling out a jam donut and offering it to the driver who took it immediately, dropping a spot of the jam onto his shirt.   
Thirteen minutes later the two exited the bus, the boy swiping off for them twice. The signal was being broadcast again less than five minutes later. Barba and I stared at each other, I grinned for a second knowing I’d just solved the case. I took a screen capture of the boy and made my way to Lehman’s.   
“Dean Meyers, have you seen this man before?”  
“Oh, of course that’s Adrian Torre, he’s in our Technology Honors program. He doesn’t speak much English, April used to translate for him.”  
“Thank you.”

4.28pm   
“Adrian Torre, you are under arrest for the rape and murder of April Espinoza.”

4.52pm  
“Quiero un abogado!”  
“Adrian, we know you speak English and your lawyer is on his way.”  
“No estoy hablando con usted!”  
“Alright, well I’ll come back cuando estamos listos para acusar.”  
I stared confusedly at Barba as he watched through the glass, he glanced at me for a moment as if only now remembering that I don’t speak any Spanish whatsoever.   
“Umm… he said he’s not talking and she said she’d come back when she was ready to arraign him.”  
“Espera!”  
“La maté, pero fue un accidente! Lo prometo!” And then he was crying, 

“There was an accident with a tomato?” I muttered,

“No… he said he killed her but promised it was an accident.”

“That makes more sense.”

“Mi jefe quería muerta!” Barba turned back to me, opening his mouth,

“Don’t worry, I’ve seen enough movies to know jefe and muerta.”

“¿Quién es él?”  
“No puedo decir! Me matará si te digo!” 

“My turn.” Barba grinned and exited the observation room. 

“Hola Adrian, mi nombre es Rafael Barba… soy un abogado.”

“Por qué estás sentado en ese lado?”

“Yo trabajo para la oficina del fiscal… pero puedo ayudarle.”

“Sin mi ayuda irá a prisión por el resto de su vida! Puedo protegerte de su jefe.”

“Lo llaman El Rey.” Barba’s eyes went dark for a second 

“¿Donde esta el?”   
“No lo sé.”  
“Gracias.”  
Barba left the room and walked back into the adjoining one.  
“Would you mind explaining all that for me?”  
“I told him I’d help him if he told me who his boss was, he told me.”  
“That’s it? You were talking for like five minutes!”  
“A lot of it is just trying to sound sexy.” He chuckled,  
“It worked.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “My boss wanted her dead!” Barba turned back to me, opening his mouth,
> 
> “Don’t worry, I’ve seen enough movies to know ‘boss’ and ‘dead’.”
> 
> “Who is your boss?”
> 
> “I can’t tell you! He’d kill me!”
> 
> “My turn.” Barba grinned and exited the observation room. 
> 
> “Hello Adrian, my name is Rafael Barba… I’m a lawyer.”
> 
> “Then why are you sitting on that side of the table?”
> 
> “I work for the District Attorney’s office… but I can help you. If you don’t let me help you, you’ll be in jail for the rest of your life. Who is your boss?”
> 
> “They call him The King.” Barba’s eyes went dark for a second,
> 
> “Where is he?”
> 
> “I don’t know?”
> 
> “Thank you.”


End file.
